Police await forensics test in Waldorf shooting

Fraud suspect had gun during warrant service

By GRETCHEN PHILLIPSStaff writer

Photo courtesy of OSE QUICK

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office shut down Lancaster Circle in Waldorf and evacuated some nearby homes after a shooting involving police officers in the 4600 block of Gadwell Place on Friday morning.

William Payton Bell

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office shut down Lancaster Circle in Waldorf and evacuated some nearby homes after a shooting involving police officers in the 4600 block of Gadwell Place on Friday morning.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is still waiting for results of a forensics test to determine whether William Payton Bell fired a weapon at police Friday morning.

The sheriff’s office attempted to serve a search and seizure warrant at Bell’s home in the 4600 block of Gadwell Place in the Lancaster neighborhood of Waldorf.

At 6:39 a.m., police said, Bell, 23, came out of the home with a gun, threatening officers. Multiple rounds were fired. He was flown by U.S. Park Police medevac helicopter to Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly. He was listed in stable condition.

During a press conference a few hours after the shooting, sheriff’s Maj. Robert Cleaveland said that it is a joint investigation with the U.S. Postal Service and the sheriff’s office. The warrant is associated with a mail fraud investigation.

Lancaster Circle was shut down for a period of time, and several nearby homes were evacuated.

Ose Quick, who lives in Lancaster, said he woke up to the sound of gunfire.

The sound of automatic weapons firing, he said, “sounded like a bunch of firecrackers.”

He said a neighbor informed him that there was an incident going on up the street. A short time later, Quick heard an officer on a loudspeaker asking that everyone remain inside their homes.

“It’s so unusual for the quiet neighborhood,” Quick said.

Lancaster resident Marco Felder said he has been living in the neighborhood for a while and has never heard of anything like this happening in Lancaster.

The commotion caused by Friday’s incident caused a disturbance, Felder said, to the otherwise quiet neighborhood.

Felder pointed to a community center and playground nearby, where just a few days ago, the neighborhood came together for a National Night Out celebration.

Lancaster, Felder said, is a safe neighborhood. He said the sheriff’s office patrols the area quite often.

Maj. Joseph “Buddy” Gibson agreed with residents who spoke of Lancaster being a quiet neighborhood.